INDIANAPOLIS — Losing a loved one can be hard for anyone.
But local funeral director Alex Adams noticed that one particular community here in Central Indiana faces additional obstacles to the grieving process.
Adams is a certified celebrant and spends her time helping Hoosiers through the mourning process.
She says LGBTQ folks have a hard time finding grief spaces that are affirming of their identities.
“A lot of queer people carry a lot of hurt on a regular basis just from coming out journeys, our family experiences and things like that. With grief, we carry a lot of that pain with us, in addition to the pain we feel when we lose someone,” Adams said.
All her life, Adam’s “person” was her ‘pop.’
“He was truly my biggest support. From the time that I came out, through my wedding and then the birth of my children, he was the constant,” Adams said.
Her grandfather passed away in October 2022.
After his death, she tried going to grief support groups.
Each week she felt as though she had to justify her thoughts, feelings and place in the space.